46 QUARTERLY CHRONICLE. 
careful examination of vertical and horizontal sections, made 
with a binocular microscope and a magnifying power of 120 
diameters, shows this to be the case. Professor King used only 
a Stanhope lens and unprepared specimens. Dr. Carpenter 
very fairly urges, upon similar grounds, the improbability of 
Professor King’s assertions with regard to another histological 
matter, viz., the foraminiferous nature of Hozoon Canadense, 
which the Galway ‘ savant’ pronounces to be a product of che- 
mical and physical agencies. 
Raphides.—Professor Gulliver is still adding to his proofs 
of the importance of microscopical structure in the diagnosis 
of allied orders of plants. In the November number of the 
‘ Annals’ he compares Vitacez with Araliacez, and gives the 
results of his examinations of Heemodoracez. 
He has now examined species, including Pterisanthes, of 
each of the genera included by Lindley under Vitaceze. They all 
prove to be characterised by an abundance of true raphides, ex~ 
cepting Bersama and Natalia (Rhaganus), in which two genera 
raphides are replaced by crystal prisms. Sphzraphides also 
occur plentifully with the raphides in the typical Vitaceze. In 
Aralia spheraphides only appear, and this often in a spheera- 
phid-tissue, which forms a beautiful microscopic object im 
the A. spinosa. He recommends the leaves of this plant and 
of Vitis apicifolia for comparison. As to Professor Lindley’s 
observation that, ‘if Aralia had an adherent calyx, erect ovules, 
with stamens opposite the petals, it would be a Vitis,” Mr. 
Gulliver now shows that the addition also of raphides to an 
Aralia would be required to make it a Vitis. 
The departure of Rhaganus from the true structure of a 
Vitis is a curious fact in favour of the value of the raphidian 
character, for Rhaganus has lately been separated on other 
grounds, by Bentham and Hooker, from Vitacez. 
Of Hzmodoraceze Mr. Gulliver has examined fragments of 
species of Lindley’s three subsections, and finds raphides 
abundant in Heemodorex and Conostylee, but wanting in 
Velloziez ; an interesting observation when we recollect that 
Don proposed to make an order of the Vellozias, but which 
Lindley well declared would be premature till their structure 
and that of the bloodroots had been thoroughly investigated. 
In the December number of the ‘ Annals’ Mr. H. J. Carter 
has some remarks on Professor Clark’s paper “ On Peridi- 
nium.’ He considers that Professor Clark is mistaken in 
supposing his animalcule to be a Peridinium. It is, he states, 
Urocentrum Turbo, of Ehrenberg. He further observes that 
Professor Clark “has confounded two kinds of Infusoria, 
which, although extremely alike, belong, one to the animal, 
